This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/EgC.2ACE/10175.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Hi ken, I think the original version of the name was Farries. Spelling of names was usually down to the person recording them and if the person reporting was less than literate then was up to the recorder to make the best stab. Farries is said to derive from O'Fearghuis (son of Fergus) and therefore probably originally Irish. In Dumfriesshire there are eleven of the name recorded in the Commissariot record between 1624 and 1800 and " Agnes Faries was examined for the test" (witchcraft) in 1685 in Tinwald. Hope this gives a bit of background. By the way have you located Oakwoodhill ? Regards, Graeme Edinburgh